There's a uni race this Saturday, but it's a sprinter's cup, and I'm not exactly a sprinter :S

So I was thinking about doing a ride Saturday, but I'm in the mood for an EPIC. Raturdayers wanna complete a Brisbane Gran Fondo? The greatest Brisbane ride ever? Incorporating the ULTIMATE river loop!

West End-Coro Dr-UQ-Indooroopilly-Kenmore-Fig Tree Pocket-over the Centenary Bridge-17 Mile Rocks-up Canossa hill-Corinda-along Honour Ave-river loop through Yeronga and up Highgate Hill-West End-Southbank (potential coffee quickstop)-out to the Story Bridge-Shaftson Ave-Wynnum Rd-Hawthorne Rd-along the river in Bulimba-over the Gateway-through Clayfield (potential coffee stop at Dandelion & Driftwood)-Toombul-Kedron Brook Bikeway back to Lutwyche-pass the RBWH-through the city-Southbank-West End. Spew, then coffee and food.

Who's keen?!

Route would look something like this. West End back to West End via 17 Mile Rocks:

Net ride would be over 100km. But the advantage of coming back to West End is that it gives people a chance to finish the ride early if they're not up for the full challenge. Seriously, who's up for the greatest ride ever?

GTRmon7 wrote:Not a fan? What about just the 17 Mile Rocks section of the ride?

At any time other than Retro Riverloop Raturday, yes. It's like wearing fake Armani - you'd know you weren't doing the loop, and you'd feel ashamed. So I'm told. I've not worn fake Armani before. So, that thread I was talking about....

Dude, I think you're misunderstanding the Raturday way. This is a fun ride at a slow to moderate pace. If you want to smash the 17 Mile Rocks, there is a perfectly good ride leaving the Guitar Gym at 6am on Wednesday mornings.

A Spanish Razesa, still watching it on eblag, but just something about it that caught my eye, I was approached recently by a Euro gent who was sounding me out about a similar 80's Razzy, when I got back to him he'd parted company with it, unfortunately (for me) he accepted quite a deal less than I was prepared to pay.

My perchance for things a little left of centre, leads me to probably want one of these Spanish babies.

Also I'm looking for a 7700 series RD, I have a really good condition 6500 RD to swap/cash deal. Not urgent, haven't even started scouring eblag yet.

Other news, my secret squirrel brakes died a death, got a refund yesterday & purchased a set of 1st series Athena ones, was looking for MonoPlanner ones but the whole Campy thing has soured me, just want to get the damn Benny together. So what was I buying? Dura Ace AX ones, very similar shape (Shimmy copies) to the Delta ones but they appear to be more reliable & consistently work unlike what I've heard about the Delta's.

Going to see if clear will take to the fork, if so, I'm thinking of polishing most of the Benny frame (except the lugs, which I may leave Burgundy or even paint blue) & clear the whole thing over the polished alumina. Enough of trying to make it look like an 80's one, just gunna let it's natural beauty hang out.

Verty is back home, ready for a shake & bake down ride. Had it away getting a few minor tweaks, one thing is, it's now running indexed shifters, who'da thunk, moi running something indexed, see if I can hack it, it may get switched to friction mid ride.

Got to agree with Zynster on the ride thing, there are plenty of serious packs out there, the retro ride is exactly about that, retro bikes, guys (or gals) who love retro bike (&/or ride retro bikes), easy relaxed pace, good conversation, few rules, the pack stays together (riding to the slowest persons pace), last week the ride ended up spread over a few kms, this isn't our normal deal, if someone has an issue, then everybody is there to back them up, some of the bikes owe people quite a deal of money, so they're not into riding them (or themselves for that matter) within an inch of their lives. Just my opinion, I also like riding with my iplod & an earbud in my left ear, very naughty on pack rides, I don't have it loud enough to drown out those talking to me but it provides relaxing music (music soothes the savage beast), but "proper" riders are not allowed to do this unless they are on their own. It's about mateship & love of the older craftsmanship (seemly becoming a lost art) that exponents used to display when manufacturing a bicycle, there was art, now there is profit, the modern bike is a disposable product, most of the retro stuff was made to last a lifetime. Totally different attitude, totally different type who rides them, yep we've done a 100km ride, we'll probably do more, but for us, it ain't about strava segments, being the first to that next post/tree/intersection/cute gal/guy in short dress/shorts (holey shite just crashed into a parked car because I was too busy perving ), it's just our bag baby!

West End-Coro Dr-UQ-Indooroopilly-Kenmore-Fig Tree Pocket-over the Centenary Bridge-17 Mile Rocks-up Canossa hill-Corinda-along Honour Ave-river loop through Yeronga and up Highgate Hill-West End-Southbank (potential coffee quickstop)-out to the Story Bridge-Shaftson Ave-Wynnum Rd-Hawthorne Rd-along the river in Bulimba-over the Gateway-through Clayfield (potential coffee stop at Dandelion & Driftwood)-Toombul-Kedron Brook Bikeway back to Lutwyche-pass the RBWH-through the city-Southbank-West End. Spew, then coffee and food.

Who's keen?!Net ride would be over 100km. But the advantage of coming back to West End is that it gives people a chance to finish the ride early if they're not up for the full challenge. Seriously, who's up for the greatest ride ever?

Great idea but too big for me, especially at this time of year.17 Mile Rocks to Honor avenue is especially nice, but you have to cross the river on that dodgy bridge to get there.Sorry to be a grumpy old boy.Steve

"Technology gives us much more information but Education is never be able to give us the skill to evaluate it"

nice ride this morning. Unfortunately CO was absent from ride due to other commitments.However RSM was on his best behaviour and stood in for him. Dan and Vaeske did not need to discipline any of the new recruits.

Velo13 was resplendant on a red (Italian red i think) Cinelli.Quentin was also well groomed on a red Giant ( ? Chinese red i think)Alex was also trying to ride a red bike but it was too small for him.

Glenn also made a fashion statement with his Italianesque clothing and Berretto bike.Wazza on the always fashionable Repco.And Tony was on a nice Scott circa 1990's.

The CO & I have discussed next Raturday, it's Riverloop East. Same start time & place, then off through over the top of Roma St parklands, down Gregory Tce to Brookes St., down Montpelier Rd to Brekky Crk Rd, Kingsford Smith Drv, Curtin Ave, over the Gateway Bridge, bikepath to Metroplex Ave, Lytton Rd to Hawthorne Rd., Wynnum Rd (or bikepath if traffic is too heavy)to Wellington Rd, around under the bridge, probably through South Bank back to our normal post ride coffee haunt at Cup.

Not many hills, close to the same as a regular Riverloop, pretty much same distance (maybe 3 or 4 kms longer), we should be able to avoid most of the traffic (if SC Drive traffic is too heavy, we can cut across it & ride the riverfront bikeway), so shouldn't present too many difficulties for our group.

Video's won't be up until late tomorrow evening or Monday, moi is off up the coast to partake in an over abundance of alcohol consumption to celebrate some pagan fertility festival (yep a xmas party), so will be lunch tomorrow before I'm in any condition to open my head & I'll need to get a ride in (which I'll do whilst they're uploading).

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